Kent Cardiology to offer ischemia clinical trial

Posted
Tuesday, September 24, 2013 1:00 pm

Kent Hospital’s Division of Cardiology will take part in an international trial for patients who have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease. This disease is caused by reduced blood flow to the heart due to narrowed arteries.

The study’s primary objective is to determine whether an invasive strategy of routine early cardiac catheterization, along with optimal medical therapy, will reduce the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events, in comparison to just treating patients with only optimal medical therapy, reserving catheterization for angina symptoms, acute coronary syndrome, acute ischemic heart failure or resuscitated cardiac arrest.

Participants of ISCHEMIA will be recruited following clinically indicated stress testing showing they have ischemic heart disease. Enrollment will occur over approximately four years with an estimated average four-year follow-up period.

“This study hopes to answer the question whether optimal medical therapy is sufficient to manage ischemic heart disease,” Chester Hedgepeth, MD, executive chief of cardiology for Kent Hospital, said in a statement. “It is incredibly important to determine the best treatment strategies for those susceptible to complications from coronary artery disease.”

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and affects 17.6 million Americans, resulting in about 450,000 deaths in the United States annually. An invasive approach to the evaluation and treatment of coronary artery disease is common, yet evidence that this approach to management favorably influences long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic heart disease is unclear.

If you are 21 or older, have had a recent stress test that shows you have ischemic heart disease and are interested in taking part in the study, call the Kent Hospital Division of Cardiology at 681-4996, or log on to www.kentri.org/bwcardio.